Paul Armfield

His first album Songs Without Words, released in 2003 saw his voice being compared to the likes of Cat Stevens, Tim Hardin and Nick Drake, the music described as Folk Noir lead to various associations and collaborations with the likes of Tindersticks and Lambchop. A big fan of Scott Walker Paul was likewise applauded for his renditions of Jacques Brel chansons. Running a bookstore by day Paul nevertheless managed to release 6 more albums including an album of Tennyson’s Poetry set to music, 2013’s ‘Up Here’ which found fans such as Lauren Laverne and Caitlin Moran, and 2015’s ‘Found’: a selection of songs written around a collection of photographs gathered from the flea markets of Berlin; Radio Eins declared it ‘The best Berlin album of all time’. With a strong fan-base on the continent, Paul’s 7th album ‘Domestic’ was recorded in Germany with a pan European cast of musicians and explored the concept of ‘home’, foreshadowing Brexit and the subsequent pandemic. 2024 sees Paul releasing an EP of songs about trees as well as a single Night Thoughts/I’m Here later in the year to coincide with Men’s Mental Health Day. A songwriter’s songwriter, he has picked up plaudits from the likes of Guy Garvey and Chris Difford. Still selling books by day he is also an occasional funeral celebrant, a lino-cut artist, and a double bassist whose playing can be heard on the best-selling Michael Kiwanuka single ‘I’m Getting Ready’ as well as collaborations with jazz pianist Greg Foat.